Tips For Buying a Charcoal Smoker
There are 2 common ranges of charcoal smokers for home use available on the market:
# Vertical smoker: A vertical smoker, also called a bullet smoker due to its shape, is one of the most popular smokers, which is not too large nor too pricy. It utilizes a water pan in between the heat source and cooking grate, keeping the meat moist. The meat is cooked at a distance above the heat source.
# Offset horizontal smoker: With this kind of smoker, the fire in the compartment and the meat are kept different. There is a large cooking surface area as well as vents, which allow you to manage the heat and keep it moving in the cooking chamber.
Building a Barrel Smoker
If you're feeling daring, have some time on your hands and want that cowboy sensation, this could be a DIY project for you. A barrel smoker utilizes a drum, turned on its side and split down the middle. This is really cheap to make but on the disadvantage, it's not extremely steady and shouldn't be anticipated to last very long. You can learn how to turn a barrel into a smoker from many offered resources on the internet.
Using an Electric or Gas Smoker
By removing charcoal from the process, you lose out on much of the smoke flavor that makes barbecue intriguing for eaters and cooks alike. While you can use wood with an electrical or gas smoker, you simply will not get the very same result. Some barbecue cooks may argue this point, but many would prefer to prepare with charcoal to improve the flavour.
Electrical and gas smokers however, permit simpler control of the heat. Instead of charcoal, just experiment with the dial and voila!
Handling Heat
Charcoal is used as the heat source in the majority of cases, while the wood is used to add smoke and flavour. You might wonder why not use the wood for both heat and smoke. When you try to eliminate both birds with the exact same stone, or wood in this case, it often leads to over cigarette smoking. It is easier to smoke and to manage heat using charcoal. Excessive smoking of the meat will likely lead to the meat becoming too bitter, therefore ruining your culinary masterpiece.
Eyeing charcoal types
Charcoal is available in two ranges, each having their own fans:
# Charcoal briquettes: This is the most commonly used read more kind of charcoal for grilling in the house. It is made from charred wood and coal. However, this type is avoided by hardcore barbecue cooks oftentimes, due to the ingredients used in them to keep them burning and holding them together longer.
# Lump charcoal: This is just made from charred wood, with no of the ingredients found in the charcoal briquettes (and also does not have the smooth shape thereof). This charcoal burns quicker and hotter than the briquettes. They also cost more, and depending on the sensitivity of the meat being cooked, the additional expense might be worth it as it also prevents undesirable taste from being included due to the chemicals found in the briquettes.
If you still choose to use charcoal briquettes, as many great barbecue do, be sure to avoid the ones with the lighter fluid in them. The chemicals used to light the charcoal can burn off the charcoal and enter into your food. This will give it an unpleasant, acidic taste. Using lighter fluid directly from the squeeze bottle is an equally bad idea as it will have the same effect.
Using a chimney starter
Instead of using the unpleasant tasting chemicals found in lighter fluid, you can rapidly and quickly light your charcoal with a chimney starter. They can be found easily in home-supply or hardware stores.
To use it, stuff newspaper into the bottom area and fill the leading section with charcoal. In a safe place, light the newspaper. You coals should be ready in 15 to 20 minutes. Then dump them in the smoker.